


It Must Be Love

by MushFund



Series: Songfics [5]
Category: Fallout (Video Games), Fallout: New Vegas
Genre: Arcade being CUTE, M/M, Mild Blood, Or would that be wingdog, Rex is your wingman, Songfic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-31
Updated: 2021-01-31
Packaged: 2021-03-18 15:33:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,599
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29120517
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MushFund/pseuds/MushFund
Summary: A courier and a self-deprecating researcher find love in the wasteland.Based on the song "It Must Be Love" by Labi Siffre. Contains some spoilers for Fallout: New Vegas depending on your choices - please read at your own risk.
Relationships: Arcade Gannon/Reader, Male Courier/Arcade Gannon
Series: Songfics [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2011183
Kudos: 12





	It Must Be Love

**Author's Note:**

> Bit of an odd story behind this one. I have wanted to write for Arcade for a long time, as I adore him, and I got the idea for this fic whilst listening to a CD on a Friday night, during the song "Nice to be With You" by Gallery. So I had my heart set to base it upon that tune. When I went to look up the song's lyrics, however, I typed out "It Must Be Love" somehow instead - I think I was just tired, as this was late at night, but it seemed like a sign, so I swapped the songs out. While not a long song, it perfectly captures the essence of being in love and is really worth a listen.
> 
> Anyways, unnecessary author anecdote over. The lyrics came from azlyrics.com, I do not intend to take credit for them. As always, thank you for reading and enjoy. Spread the gay all over the wasteland, my homies.

The wasteland was a depressing place to be. Barren landscapes, people slowly rotting away, gigantic mutated mosquitoes and ungodly coyote-snake hybrids on the prowl - and yet, you could easily be described as the happiest man in all of New Vegas. No, you weren’t deranged or high on chems or some nightmarish combination of both: all this surplus joy was due to one person, your boyfriend by the admittedly unusual name of Arcade.

You had met him quite on chance. Your life had taken an already odd turn of circumstance as you had, whilst delivering a package, been shot in the head by a young fellow in a checkered suit, then promptly dug up by a cowboy robot and patched together by an elderly man. You hadn’t expected such an ordinary task in your job to take such an unexpected detour. Nonetheless, you were grateful to be alive, although a bit confused - and angry. You had arrived in Freeside in the hopes of hunting down the man (apparently deemed the suspiciously friendly moniker of “Benny”), where he was said to be at a casino known as the Tops. Unfortunately, the burly Securitrons didn’t like the looks of you - well, truthfully, you had no passport, but you preferred to think they were just being mean - and quickly turned you around. And it somehow got worse. While you were still mulling over what had just happened (that robot looked so smug!), a thug in tattered clothes saw opportunity and, in an effort to rob you, left a nasty gash down your arm with his rusty blade. While the Securitrons were quick to decapitate your attacker, and you got to, fortunately, keep what few caps and possessions you held so dear, you were aware that tetanus shots weren’t exactly commonplace in the wasteland. Fortunately, a former gigolo you had spoken to upon your arrival in Freeside pointed you in the direction of a place where you could seek help: with a group known as the “Followers of the Apocalypse”. Apparently they offered quality medical care.

Clutching your bleeding arm as red liquid stained the dusty ground, pouring out in seemingly inhuman amounts, you raced in the direction Deuce Bigalow (ehrm, Old Ben), had given you. He described it as being a massive fort of sorts, surrounded by a big wooden fence, and harboring the best treatment if you ever got an itch “down there”. Why that last bit was necessary was anyone’s guess, but he hadn’t been lying about the first two parts, as you reached what you assumed was the Follower’s settlement. 

Mind dizzy with blood loss, you stumbled in, falling into the arms of some woman with an impressive mohawk, murmuring out something that must have sounded inhuman. Fortunately, the rest of this fateful afternoon was a blur, as you awoke a while later in a tent, lying on a cot of sorts, your arm feeling sore but bandaged and appearing to be clean. The mohawked woman from before later appeared to tell you that you needed to stay with them and rest for a few days - not only for the sake of your wound’s healing, but to monitor for infection. At first, it seemed easy enough… after all, you had a warm bed, food, water, medical care… but it soon became a bit dull. Lying in bed all day being tended to, as spoiled as it sounded, made you feel as if you weren’t getting anything accomplished. You wanted to seek revenge on this “Benny”, you wanted to roam the wasteland, you wanted to see if the rumors about a robotic sex freak and a cyborg German Shepherd were true - you wanted to get stuff done. You had become a courier for a reason, after all. A life of stagnation meant nothing to you. Unfortunately, you were also in a complex, so therefore it would be difficult to sneak out. Those whitecoats were always on the prowl. So you settled for the next best thing: exploring the settlement.

For the first such morning of exploration, you decided to check out the tent beside your own. You were the only one in your tent for the most part - it was only occasionally inhabited by a few ragged-looking individuals that seemed to not be too chatty, nor did they stick around long. Inside, you found it was empty, gazing around to see it looked much like your own (it seemed the Followers weren’t much for interior design), when you sensed a presence in the corner. Nearly jumping out of your skin, you met eyes with a light-haired fellow. While he was dressed like the other Followers, you hadn’t seen him before. Then again, you hadn’t exactly been getting out much.

“I didn’t realize I was that frightening to look at.” the unfamiliar man stated, a sardonic tone heavy in his voice.

“You’re not.”, you felt somewhat bad, “I just didn’t see you there, is all. Come to think of it, I don’t believe I’ve seen you at all here during my stay.”

“Well, assuming you’re here for that injury of yours and not a crash course in natural remedies-”, the man paused to nod at your wrapped arm, “-that’s because I’m here as a researcher, not a doctor. I’m not much of a people person.”

“Oh.”, you murmured, rather intrigued, “What sort of stuff do you research? How that one doctor keeps her hair so pristine despite us living in a post-apocalyptic wasteland?”

The man snorted at your comment, a wry grin upon his face, “Not quite, although that is perhaps something worth investigating. Actually, I’m here to find natural remedies for ailments, seeing as medical supplies can be scarce. I believe it’d be best if we could find a way to harness what the land’s given us, in essence.”

“That’s pretty brilliant.”, you smiled admiringly, “So, you’re like a botanist? But a cool one?”

Another snort of laughter. “Sort of. I tend to focus on the medicinal benefits of plants, and, well, not just plants - anything natural, really. I’m sure you don’t want to hear about all that boring stuff, though.”

“No, actually, it doesn’t seem boring. I don’t have anything better to do, actually. They sort of, uh, have me trapped here. Monitoring, y’know?”  
He nodded, “Well… if you’d like to pass some time, I suppose you can sit in with me and I can teach you a few things. But remember, you asked for this - if you fall asleep, it’s not my fault.”

And yet, you didn’t even catch a wink of rest - as you genuinely found the man’s lessons to be interesting. He was certainly very knowledgeable and funny - in addition to being rather easy on the eyes, definitely an added benefit. You had since learned his name to be Arcade, which you teased him about at first, although, truthfully, you found it cool. You two had a lot of shared interests, and as such, became quite close for the duration of your stay.

Nonetheless, as the old saying went, all good things had to come to an end. Your wound eventually healed quite well, leaving only a scar in its wake, and the bandages were taken off and you were free to go. As much as they were adamant about you staying for monitoring, you were suddenly old news - apparently, beds and supplies were scarce, and they couldn’t have someone lingering around. It broke your heart, but you had to say goodbye to Arcade - you’d miss his lectures, seeing him so interested, teaching you Latin on occasion… he was truly your first sort of ‘best friend’ in many years. You two spent almost every waking hour together, after all, seeing as you didn’t really hinder his research. 

When you went to his tent on your final morning to say goodbye, your heart hung heavy in your chest. Your eyes were, admittedly, even slightly pricked with tears. Sure, you could visit, but it was dangerous out there - who knew if you’d see him again, for one reason or another? You had things to do, but you hadn’t expected to get so close to this man.

“Hey.”, you stood in the doorway, averting eye contact, deciding to be frank, “I’ve got to get going.” You held out your newly healed arm demonstratively.

“Oh.”, Arcade looked at you, snapping a book he had been reading shut, “Well, I can’t say I won’t miss your company. Do you have somewhere to stay?”

“Uh, yeah.”, you blurted out, not wanting him to worry, “I’m headed to New Vegas. Figured I’d stay somewhere around there. I’ve got some matters I need to attend to. I’ll be kept busy.”

“I see.”, the researcher adjusted his glasses, “Well, best of luck out there. Stay safe. If you ever need anything else, don’t hesitate to come on back.”

You felt sad hearing his tone of voice - normally rather sardonic, he seemed genuinely distraught. You got the sense he didn’t form very many close bonds. And, truthfully, neither did you. It hurt to leave him, but you had things to do, and so did he. 

“I won’t.”, you paused momentarily, “Hesitate to come back, that is.” 

Unable to take anymore, you spun on your heel and left, bidding goodbye and a final thank you to a few of the other doctors who had so graciously healed you before passing the wooden gate into the wasteland beyond. Your heart had never felt so broken.

To alleviate the emotional pain brought on by the unexpected feelings for Arcade, you set yourself to work. You found yourself running tasks around Freeside, especially for an interesting fellow that simply went by “The King”. By helping the robotic German Shepherd you had heard so much about, Rex, get a new brain, you were awarded both a canine friend to ward away some loneliness and a pass into New Vegas. You were able to confront Benny, too, and needless to say things did not turn out well for him. Life had really worked out for you, it seemed, as you found yourself lying in a hotel room on the Strip, Rex flopped down at your feet, you still couldn’t stir your feelings of depression away. Truthfully, at night, or one those mornings you woke up too early to rise immediately, when you were alone with your thoughts, your mind drifted to Arcade. Was he doing okay? Was he thinking of you, too?

_I never thought I'd miss you half as much as I do  
And I never thought I'd feel this way, the way I feel about you  
As soon as I wake up, any night, any day  
I know that it's you I need to take the blues away_

As you tossed and turned, wondering why you felt this way - well, truthfully, you had an inkling of why. It seemed you had gotten very attached to this man. Nonetheless, you weren’t sure he had given you any indication that he liked you back. Sure, there was some harmless flirting here and there, but it was the apocalypse. All that nuclear fallout tended to loosen inhibitions. You knew you had to see him again - even just as friends. And so, one morning, with your beloved dog following loyally at your side, you returned to the Follower’s camp. You were going to leave New Vegas for a bit, anyways, see what lied beyond now that the situation with your would-be assassin was handled. 

“Y/N, you’re back.”, the mohawked doctor instantly recognized you, “Don’t tell me you had another rusty blade encounter.”

“No.”, you blushed, realizing it was perhaps unusual for patients to return without needing medical assistance, “I just wanted to stop by and say hello to a friend.”

“Oh.”, she seemed somewhat puzzled, but not upset, “Well, go on, then.”

You hurried to Arcade’s tent, and indeed found him there, writing something down in his usual seat. He didn’t notice you at first, but Rex soon remedied that by stepping forth and placing his wolf-like muzzle onto the man’s lap like the furred wingman that he apparently was.

“Hello there, Y/N.”, he gave Rex a pat as he looked at you, “Certainly New Vegas is more exciting than listening to me drone on about poultices.”

“Well, it’s got lights and stuff to do, but… truthfully, I missed your company.”, you blushed, “I just wanted to stop by and see how you were doing.”

“That’s a new one.”, Arcade seemed genuinely surprised that you cared enough to visit him, “Well, I’ve been alright. The usual, studies and all, nothing too out of the ordinary. How about yourself? I see you’ve got a new friend.”

“Interesting-looking fella, isn’t he?”, you rubbed Rex’s fluffy neck, “I got him a new brain, didn’t I, boy? Yes, I did! I slaughtered that Legion mongrel and we fixed you right up. He belonged to this guy called ‘The King’, but he’s mine now. He’s a really good dog. New Vegas got a bit dull, actually. I’m a wanderer at heart. Rex and I here are going to check some places out, see what we can do to help.”

“A cyborg dog and a courier, roaming the wastes, looking to better the world?”, Arcade chuckled, “Now that’d make a good story, if you ask me.”

“Well, it’s going to be more than a story.”, an idea suddenly flashed across your mind, “And if you’d like, you could be a part of it.”

“What?”, Arcade nearly dropped his notes, visibly taken aback, “What do you mean?”

“I’d like you to travel with me. After all, I could use your medical expertise and wisecracks along the way. I mean, Rex is great and all, but he really needs to work on his sense of comedic timing.”

“You’d seriously want me, with you, roaming around?”, the bespectacled fellow seemed to still be processing your request, “I’m not sure I’m cut out for that, Y/N. I mean, I’m just a researcher.”

“Think of it as field research. We’ll pass a lot of cool plants and stuff, I’m sure. I mean, reading can only do so much. You’ll actually be experiencing it!” Your eyes were alight with excitement and you were very giddy - Arcade must have noticed this, for he eventually agreed to be your traveling companion. He bid goodbye to the Followers, and set out with you and Rex. 

At last, with this situation, you found happiness. While it was tough at times, having a man you were (secretly, of course) very fond of and a loyal dog at your side, bringing down enemies and aiding those in need, bedding down wherever the world would allow was certainly the life for you. Of course, there was still the matter of your feelings for Arcade. You had learned a lot about him, even more so than before, now that you were together almost every waking hour of the day. You knew he was single (as he had alluded to it, self-deprecatingly in his typical fashion), and there were certainly hinting moments - times you or him stared too long, only to apologize and look away, hands brushing together - and yet, you still couldn’t bring yourself to outright say it. Nonetheless, it was inevitable.

After a particularly exhausting day, your party settled into a motel in some rinky-dink town. Unfortunately, the woman at the desk had failed to notify you all that there was just one bed in the room. Upon opening the door, eager to get to bed, you and Arcade took notice of the arrangements and looked at one another, flushed. 

“I can take… the couch.” he murmured, nodding over to a busted-in sofa in the corner of one room.

“No, don’t do that.”, you shook your head, “It looks like a brahmin gave birth on it. I mean, we can share a bed, right?”

Arcade went silent for a few moments, pale skin visibly reddened even more as he looked at you, “Sure.”

You two stripped down to your bedclothes and hopped onto the double bed, both lying on your backs and staring up at the ceiling. Rex had decided to sleep on the floor - your trusted wingman now abandoning you.

The silence passed on for many awkward moments. Your heart racing and stomach turning, you decided enough was enough. Arcade, with his lack of self-confidence, obviously wasn’t going to say anything about the state of your relationship, so you had to take it upon yourself. If he didn’t feel the same way, it would be awkward, sure, but you two could go on being friends… well, or he could go back to the Followers and never hear from you again. Either or.

“Hey.”, you rolled over to face the man, noting how good he looked out of the lab coat, now only in a t-shirt and shorts, “I need to talk about something.”

“Alright.”, Arcade held his hands clasped, fingers interwoven, on his chest, “Go ahead.”

“Well, about us.”

You felt the man jolt from his position.

“Truthfully, Arcade… well, there was another reason I wanted you to come along with me. I… I like you. A lot. I couldn’t stand to be away from you. Ever since I saw you, I thought you were so handsome, and so funny… and all this time I’ve wanted to tell you. I love you.”

“I knew there was more to it. I mean, we’ve seen zero plants since we got out here.”, Arcade teased, but his voice soon lowered, more serious in tone, “You, you really mean that?”

“Of course I do.”, you reached out an arm to him, “How could I not? I mean, you’re perfect.”

“Aw, Y/N.”, he seemed to melt under your touch, “I love you, too. I mean, I would never leave my cushy research job for anyone any less handsome.”

You chuckled at his comment, taking him into your arms to snuggle him closer, pressing a kiss to his cheek. That night, you slept better than you had ever before in your life. You had never been so happy or excited. You were in love. Truly, madly, and deeply.

_It must be love, love, love  
It must be love, love, love  
Nothing more, nothing less - love is the best_

As the days went by, you and Arcade grew ever closer. As time passed on, you eventually overthrew Mr. House, rendering you, in effect, king of New Vegas. You had made many news friends along the way, too, ranging from a super mutant grandma to a crafty ghoul, but Arcade was at your side the entire time. You two lived at the Lucky 38 suite, and he frequently stopped off at the Followers camp when needed. It was the perfect arrangement, and you were always very happy to see him when he came home - as he was when you went out and about to attend to business. Many hugs and kisses were exchanged, and everything just seemed… better with your lover. The lights of the Strip were brighter, the numerous prostitutes roaming the streets seeming angelic, and even the Securitrons seemed friendlier.

_How can it be that we can say so much without words  
Bless you and bless me baby, bless the bees and the birds_

You and Arcade oft strolled about the Strip, helping others when needed and taking some time for yourselves by going on a date night. Tonight was one such night - and you had found a new place, nonetheless. It was simple (seeing as there weren’t exactly many restaurants or couple’s retreats in a nuclear wasteland): a hill where, if climbed, you could see almost the whole of the Strip in all of its glory. 

Arcade had gone off to help the Followers at their camp, so you had decided to pick him up later on. With your freetime, you dressed your best and got your hair looking nice. You were nearly to the elevator when you felt a furry presence at your side. Rex barked, looking up at you expectantly with puppy dog eyes. Dang. He really knew how to get you.

“Alright, fine.”, you allowed the dog into the elevator with you, “You can come along with us, you cute little third wheel.”

You and Rex strolled over to Freeside, a nice breeze in the air, and you soon arrived at the camp, finding Arcade in his tent as usual.

“Hey.”, you greeted with a smile, “Ready to go? I’ve got some place entirely new to show you.”

“Should I be nervous?” Arcade got up, setting down his work and following you and Rex.

“No, it’s a good place.”, you took his hand, “I promise.”

You two walked hand in hand away from the city, the sky growing slightly dark, Rex running around you both excitedly. 

“Alright.”, you eagerly noted the hill’s presence ahead, running up and sitting upon the overhang, “And here we are… what do you think?”

Arcade joined you, sitting down along with Rex, “It’s nice, actually.”, he grinned, “Good view.”

“Well, of course, the best view is the one next to me.” you put your arm around your boyfriend, noting his cheeks tinting pink. You found it adorable how shy he could get when complimented.

_I've got to be near you, every night, every day  
I couldn't be happy baby any other way_

And you two sat there for the rest of the evening, watching the sun set, just holding one another close. Even if life in the wasteland was tough, you had a love that could surpass all - and now, nothing could keep you two apart.


End file.
